smoking 360

[dolinick]

I am still trying to make adjustments
to my 360 we just installed. It starts
up pretty easy but now shakes a bit
and smokes. I first noticed the blue/white
smoke coming from the passenger side
exhaust. Then it came from both sides.
I pulled all the plugs and number 3 was
oily as well as plugs 7 and 8. The other
plugs were dry and kind of brownish in color.

I have been messing with the timing and
also mixture screws. I probably shouldn't
be messing with the idle mixture screws
but I read the holley manual and though
it couldn't hurt.

There is definitely spark in that #3 wire
because I pulled it off and watched the
spark jump from a screwdriver to the inner
fender.

I did seem to get it running better. The truck
would actually rev up when i hit the throttle
linkage but then I just noticed a cloud of
white smoke behind the truck when I did that.

If those plugs are fouled is it as simple as
replacing them to stop it smoking. They
are not all gunked up with oil just a thin layer
and are kind of wet looking.

Would It do this if the cooling system was clogged?
I just hope it isn't anything major. I hope I didn't
overheat or damage the engine in any way. It was
supposed to be a good running engine before I
got it.

I put a lot of fresh gas in. It didn't smoke like that
when I ran it a few weeks ago with only a couple of
gallons of fresh gas mixed with whatever old gas
was in the tank.

When setting the timing does the engine have to be at 550-600
rpms? I don't have any kind of tachometer so I can't tell
what rpms it is running at.

There are a couple of good garages I know of here in town.
Maybe I should just let them have a look at it.

Please help me stop obsessing over this engine. I need to
get my mind on something else. I just want to think about
cruising out in the country in my old pick up truck.

Dan

[lrjetmech]

I would definitely clean those plugs up good, make sure the gap is good while you're at it, or just replace them-they aren't that expensive, anyway. Are your cap/rotor/points all in good shape? The factory manual recommends 550-600 rpm for idle. Do you have a vacuum guage? That reading will tell you alot, too. Should be around 17 psi or higher, and steady. You can also use it when you adjust your carb as well. A lot of carbs have you set the idle to the recommended speed, then adjust one of the mixture screws to maximum vacuum and speed, then reset the idle speed and do the same for the other mixture screw, and then reset the idle. THEN you set the timing with the hose going to the distributor plugged up; the factory manual says 6 deg BTDC, but my 390 runs best at 10 deg BTDC. You kinda have to find the "sweet spot" for your engine. Hope this helps some!

[FORDification]

Hey dolinick....quit hitting the Return key on your keyboard when you type your posts! That's why your messages get so long and narrow.

[Finleyphoto]

What's the history on this engine?

"Mechanic A" sez bad valve guide seals will foul plugs out with oil.

A used engine that has been sitting up will belch and cough up a lot of stuff.

Is the PVC system set up right and working? Are you SURE...???


Dennis

[Finleyphoto]

One more thing.

When looking for a good shop, check with the Snap-On man, or Mac or Cornwell, etc.

They know where the good shops are, who pays their tool bill tab and also who the deadbeats are.


Dennis

[dolinick]

Hey, thank you for reading my post and for the advice. Keith, it's very hard for me not to hit the return key. Oh, wow it just wrapped around automatically. I did take typing in high school maybe that's part of the problem. We had actual typewriters. Computer classes taught BASIC on Apple IIe I believe. We had to use our boot disk and kept all our work on it.

I thought that replacing the plugs would be a good idea. They look rather new though. I don't want to keep bugging Hotrod Ford about his engine. I remember reading about using a vacuum guage to set the mixture.

The cap and rotor are like new. It's an Accell distributor and coil. But the other day the cap popped off while the engine was running. I grabbed it or bumped it while trying to adjust the timing. The truck kept running for a few seconds while I ran to turn the key off. The metal piece inside the cap was pushed a little to the side but I moved it back and tightened the little screw that holds it in place. I think the distributor cap and rotor are still working properly but can't be 100 percent sure now. I was having the problems before that happened.

Back in the early nineties I worked for a contractor who had about five old chevy trucks. Three early eighties and a '73 and the one I drove which was a '72. I loved the '73 because it had cold air and power steering that you could just spin around with your little finger. Anyway every tankfull of gas I added a quart of oil in the old '72. If I started it on the first try (especially on humid rainy mornings) it would be okay otherwise It would never start. I'd have to spray carburetor spray in the carb and jump start it. They used to take all their trucks to Badder's Garage. I was thinking about giving them a call. The other one, Temple Hill Automotive, is where my uncle used to take his truck (it was also a chevy scottsdale) probably a '73. Dang I wish I could have said they took their fords to these mechanics. My dad is the one who drove the ford.

Dan

[Finleyphoto]

Chevy didn't have the Scotsdale until 1975.


Dennis

[dolinick]

Chevy didn't have the Scotsdale until 1975.


Dennis

thanks. i couldn't remember the year. it was like a
styleside bed with wood in the bottom. It was orange
and had a camper on it.

Dan

[DuckRyder]

Dan,

What is the history of the engine? I gather it is a used engine that you bought and just installed.

Is it a Holley 2v or 4v?

Restricted drain backs in the head can cause the oil to pool in the head, with marginal valve seals it will then get past the guides and into the cylinder.

My advice, clean the plugs and reinstall. (Some carburetor cleaner and a nylon brush should do it if they are pretty new. let them dry before reinstalling)

On the timing, I would set it at 10-12 vacuum disconnected at idle. The idle speed is not super critical when setting the timing, set it first, adjust the mixture and idle speed then recheck the timing.

I assume you have timing light. A tachometer and vacuum gauge would be good things to have. You could probably pick up them up for a lot less than a shop visit if you want.

I prefer to use a vacuum gauge to set the mixture, but you can also use a tachometer.

Start at about 1.25 turns out on each mixture screw, adjust to maximum RPM (or vacuum) and then turn in .25 turns. DO NOT seat the screws with much force if you turn them all the way in. I also seem to recall that some emissions Holleys have mixture screws that operate backwards.

As for the smoke, some whitish smoke is not at all unusual in high humidity and cooler weather and it is easy to misidentify black and blue smoke.

I don't know how many miles you have put on the engine, but once the timing and mixture are set and all cylinders are firing, Iwould run it a bit, it might very well stop smoking after a few run cycles. Make sure you get it good and “warmâ€Â

[Banjo]

And, also, timing does have effect on combustion of mixture. Also, pull your dipstick and smell your oil. Is it milky like chocolate shake or does it smell strongly like gas? I would suspect latter. I think you've probably made some simple mistakes, probably mild combination of 2 or 3 and your probably not in as bad a shape as you think. But, honestly, timing and vacuum and carb adjustments do require knowledge of how they affect one another and not having any diagnostic tools to work with makes it harder, kinda like chasing rabbits on foot! I'm not being smart, just suggesting you need to buy few things like timing light and vacuum gauge and learn how to use them before you start moving and turning things, because if not, you're losing what were probably decent ballpark adjustments prior.
You might also have missed some plugs on the Holley that need vacuum caps and your carb might not be tight enough to intake, etc. There are so many, many things, but main thing I can tell from experience, if you're a novice, don't monkey with an out of the box Holley.

[DuckRyder]

Ah,

I see by previous post its a 4v. Give us the number off of the front of the choke horn... Looks like it might be a street avenger...

One problem is "high performance cam" could mean damb near anything, its impossible to tell for sure from the video but my guss it is a pretty healthy cam, that probably means it isn't going to idle smoothy (maybe not at all at 550-600) and is going to want a good bit of initial timing. It would be a huge help if you can find out what the part number and manufacturer or at least specs are... You got a cam card by chance...

Give us a complete run down of everything you know about this set up and perhaps we can help.

[dolinick]

I just got home from work and skimmed over the latest posts
on this thread. I appreciate the expert advice. I'll try to get
all the info that I know about the engine. The previous owner
said it ran strong and had a t-18. I have a 3 speed. He added
the carb, distributor, intake and coil/wires around 2004 after
e bought the truck I think.

670 holley street avenger
accel elec distributor
accel coil
edelbrock performer intake
accel 8mm wires, cam

the engine is a 360 ci- rebored .030
it has a high performance cam- .554 lift ( 292* duration)
new cam bearings
new main bearings
new lifters with double valve springs
high volume oil pump

I'll think about getting a vacuum guage and or a tachometer or
getting someone who has experience to look at it. There is
a engine shop I might ask called Janke's. Anyone heard of them?
I think they had my carburetor rebuilt for me on my truck a few
years ago. They probably just sent it out to someone but they
rebuild engines.

Thanks,

Dan

[dolinick]

...and yes, we monkeyed with the float settings and now the
idle mixture.

Dan

[DuckRyder]

Base line the carb, see:

http://www.bob2000.com/carb.htm

A 292 cam is not going to idle at 550-600, I'd say go for 800-1000. With a stick as long as it isn't idling on the transfer ports you it doesn't matter a whole lot.

Lets set the timing using total timing. If you have an advance timing light it is easy using the knob on the light, if not you will need to locate and paint the appropriate timing mark.

I would shoot for 34-36 degrees at 4000 or more RPM with the vacuum advance disconnected and plugged.

[Finleyphoto]

Send a carburetor out...??? Not unless I have to!

No wet behind the ears punk kid is gonna rebuild one of MY carburetors.

I've found most in their 20's and 30's are scared of carburetors.

I was in a shop 10 years ago and we had an '86 1-Ton Dodge Van come in that wouldn't run. 360 V8 with a Factory Quadrajet.

Needed a fuel pump and the carb overhauled. Nobody wanted to touch it! Nobody! Not even the owner of the shop.

I took it on after convincing the shop owner I knew what I was doing.

It ran great, the customer was thrilled and the shop owner charged the guy $600 and change.

...then he paid me $30 bucks.

That's why I work freelance now.


Dennis